Turmoil
by Eighthnote
Summary: Short wittle One Shot from Fang's POV. Set after the fourth book but if you haven't read that one it doesn't have any spoilers or anything. Fang kisses Max and Max freaks like always.


I'm not 100 sure where this came from. Fang's POV is really hard, and I don't think I got it right. That makes me sad. I'll try harder next time. :( Anyway, kinda short. But I was listening to Blue October and it was in my head so I typed it. And here it is so, without further yammering...

**Disclaimer : Me no owny. Almost forgot this. James Patterson owns it. I own a fat cat.**

_Turmoil_

Our lips were almost touching now, and I knew without a doubt that Max was going to close the gap between us – I knew her. And she did. If you ever get injected with avian DNA, grow wings, and get the chanced to lock lips with the girl who you know, with every fiber of your mutant being, is your mate for life you'd understand. Oh, right.

I tilted my head, deepened the kiss, and lost myself in the taste of Max. The tip of my tongue traced her lower lip and just as her mouth opened she yanked away. A long stream of cuss words flashed through my head and I was more than a little relieved Angel wasn't in hearing distance.

Max's eyes were wide, her face flushed, and I wanted nothing more than to pull her mouth back to mine. But damn stubborn girl that she was, she'd already leapt to her feet. By the time her long legs had covered a few yards she was opening her large, beautiful wings.

_Not this time Max,_ I growled in my mind and I was sprinting as fast as I could after her. The instant she got into the air any hope I'd have of getting to her would be futile.

Speckled wings came up, filling with air, and instinctively I dove at Max's slender figure. With a strangled cry of surprise she hit the ground and I covered her body with mine, pinning her arms down and her wings against my chest.

"Fang," she whispered and I lifted myself up slightly. With a sigh of relief Max folded her wings. I gently turned her over. The furious look she directed at me almost made me smile - I'd seen that expression directed at me more times than I could count. Same old Max.

Something changed then, and I wished I could read her thoughts. The fear in her eyes almost knocked me backward and I was off her in an instant.

"Max. Please tell me this isn't about swapping a little spit. I brush my teeth as often as you do." I fought to keep things light, despite the intense emotions surging through me. I needed to get them under control so I could help Max through hers but every time I saw her face they just came back stronger than before.

"Fang, I -" she started, but her lips trembled and I saw the horrified embarrassment on her face as a single tear rolled down her flushed cheeks. Carefully, slowly, afraid to spook her, I sat down close to her.

My entire life I've been trying to protect Max – it was my purpose. Even in the School, when I was just as helpless as she was I was trying to keep her safe. I couldn't count how many times I'd tried to take her place in the tests. Sure, she was our leader, she had to be invincible for the others, but she was also 98 human and she needed somebody to take care of her too. It tore me up inside to see her suffer and the idea that it might be my fault she was hurting was almost too much. Self disgust flooded me.

And suddenly her arms were around my neck and her face was burying itself into the front of my hoodie in a very un-Max-like gesture. She was shaking violently and clinging to me like a lost soul in a stormy sea clings to a piece of flotsam.

Slowly, carefully, I put my arms around her shuddering form and pulled her closer. "Hey, it can't be that bad," I murmured.

"But it can…" she trailed off. Slowly she raised her eyes to meet mine. I nearly chocked on the lump in my throat when I saw the unshed tears in her soft brown orbs. "I don't know why I'm so afraid Fang. It's just us, Max and Fang. But I'm terrified. I'd be less afraid to fight the school alone. But I want it too Fang…"

Her inner turmoil was laid bare to me, finally. And I understood that I wouldn't understand until she did. So instead, I made a decision that I knew would hurt me for a long time. I would gladly take any punishment to ease Max's pain.

"Max I won't kiss you again until you ask me. I won't touch you; I won't look at you as anything more than a sister and a leader. Not until you know you're comfortable with being mine. But I won't give up on you Max. Some birds mate for life, it's in our DNA. And you're mine Max. When you decide if I'm yours, I'll be ready and waiting." I have to be honest – those were the most painful words to ever come out of my mouth. When I finished my chest was tight, my heart broken, my face impassive.

"No Fang, don't say that! Please Fang don't…" Her face was wild with something I couldn't identify and without warning her lips were on mine again. Arms tightened around my neck, pulling me closer.

I blinked in shock and ran my fingers down her wings as I returned the kiss she was so passionately giving to me. And that's when I knew that no matter what I was going to help her through her fear of our relationship growing because I was Fang, and she was Max.

Fang and Max – they sound kind of good together don't they?


End file.
